Reviewing security along the Line of Actual Control and the preparedness of the armed forces deployed there, A K Antony became the first Indian defence minister to land at the Advanced Landing Ground of the Indian Air Force at Nyoma, which is close to the border with China.
Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and other senior defence ministry officials, besides Army and IAF officers based in Leh accompanied Antony.
Antony landed at Nyoma located at an elevation of over 13,300 feet in M-17 helicopter. It may be recalled that on September 18, 2009, an AN-32 aircraft had landed at Nyoma, the first winged aircraft to do so.
The Engineer Regiment of 14 Corps undertook the task of developing the ALG to the standards required for fixed wing operations.
An advanced compound was used to surface the airstrip and it marked the culmination of joint effort of armed forces to enable the Air Force to operate in the inhospitable terrain of Leh-Ladakh region in support of the Army.
Nyoma has been developed with an aim to connect the remote areas of Ladakh to the mainland.
Antony also made an aerial survey of Fukche and visited the Siachen Base camp to have a first-hand
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